Any good Realtor knows that word of mouth marketing through testimonials is by far the best, easiest and cheapest way to grow your business. So, how to do you leverage those precious little words from your most valued former clients into new business?  Your real estate blog or website is the perfect opportunity for you to spin those testimonials into gold, but so often I see the hapless Realtor shuttle these words of wisdom off to a Testimonials Page that is rarely, if ever, read.  Check out this fool proof method to using your past clients references to build new business in 5 simple steps.

Read also: 5 Tips for Knockout Testimonials

ASK for the testimonial. 

When you close a great deal or help find that hard to please home buyer the perfect pad, step up to the plate and ask them for a testimonial. If you stand around and wait for the testimonial to come to you, expect to be standing on that corner for quite some time. You need to identify your most valuable prospects from your past client database and give them a ring or send them a card asking for a testimonial. Take special care to ask those clients that have recommended you on their own. Happy clients are more than happy to give you a testimonial. 

GUIDE your client on how to write a situation specific testimonial. 

The best testimonials are those that address specific situations. So, feel free to guide your client on how you want that testimonial to read by reminding them of the specific circumstances of their deal that made it unique. For example, if they had very specific criteria for their home search, be sure to remind them of how hard it was to find those properties. If they had a home that had sat on the market for a year with another Realtor but you sold it in less than a month, push the testimonial in that direction.

DONT fake or over edit testimonials. 

Testimonials only really work when they are natural and REAL. Most people can spot B.S. from a mile away, so stick to the content your client gave you warts and all. You can edit the content down, but dont change grammar or context. Also, never, never, never make up a testimonial. Your reputation is not worth the embarrassment of being caught gaffing a testimonial. Also, the real testimonials will drive in more traffic because you should always let a client know you have posted their words by sending them a link to the article. People like to be quoted, so they are likely to send their friends and family to your site to point out how brilliantly they were excerpted.

PLACE testimonials on your real estate blog appropriately. 

There is nothing worse than seeing a Realtor that has taken the time to collect a slew of testimonials and relegated them to a never read Testimonials Page on their real estate blog or website. Always place testimonials related to buying towards the top of a page or post about buying in a larger and/or colored font, similarly place seller testimonials on seller pages and posts. Each time you pen a situation specific post that would tie nicely into your testimonial, be sure to couple the two. Feel free to use testimonials as inspiration for posts and addressing objections or problems potential buyers or sellers may encounter. This is a great way to grow your content and present testimonials naturally. Imagine the power a testimonial about how you helped a buyer through a difficult closing has sitting alongside an article about techniques you use to make a closing easier. 

DIRECT readers to your lead generators through the testimonial. 

If you make the testimonial itself a focal point of the page by enlarging the font and/pr changing the color, utilize the impact of the testimonial to guide readers to your lead generator.  If the article and testimonial is about selling a home, clearly place a graphical link close to the testimonial to your lead generator for sellers. 

Read also: How to generate leads from a real estate blog

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